The Princess and Her Knight
by AnimeCookie93
Summary: An undetermined amount of Zeki one-shots, ranging from before the anime/manga to after the anime. Taking requests!
1. With You, T

**With You**

~o~

_It's… _

Yuuki tossed and turned in her bed, her eyes open and watching every speck of dust that flew in front of her. It had been two days; she had gone to school regularly, like every Cross Academy student did, holding her head up high. One couldn't tell she was worrying constantly, or that she spent part of each night having the blood sucked out of her.

She stopped moving entirely, spreading her legs far apart and sitting up. The air around her seemed to be closing in, and she gasped so very quietly and brought her fingers to her hair. She pulled, her eyes wide and her lips trembling.

Nightmares were common now that Zero wasn't going to school anymore. It worried her and somewhat relieved her, because he had a previous history of lusting anywhere there was blood. And no one in the Day Class was particularly careful; _someone_ was bound to get a paper cut or something. She calmed down, feeling a hand on her shoulder she knew wasn't there. The fingers were long and the hand was pale, and she wished that it was who she thought it was.

"Zero…" her voice was merely a whisper, but there was so much affection in the way she said his name. They were childhood friends. She helped him through as much as he shared with her, and even saved him a few times. She brought her hands down, watching as they crash-landed on the sheets of her bed lazily, and she felt tears burn her eyes. "I… I wish you'd just…"

_It's alright, Zero…_

**-x-**

Zero didn't exactly _like_ letting people into his life, mainly because it either ended in betrayal or bloodshed. Not saying that he would've been the one betrayed.

He stood in front of his mirror, staring at his face; he was standing shirtless, but his face was pale and ridden with sweat. His pale hair was combed into his eyes, and his hands were dropped lazily at his sides. He knew he couldn't keep fighting it. The transformation into a Level E vampire had started a while ago.

He'd locked himself in his room, having sporadic lapses of time when he'd be curled on the floor, vomiting and wishing he could taste Yuuki's sweet blood. It was disgusting… _he_ was disgusting.

"_It's alright, Zero,"_ Yuuki had whispered in his ear as he licked her neck, readying for his fangs' impact on her soft skin. He knew it wasn't alright, but he could hardly control himself when she exposed her neck like that. Looking at him _like that_. "_It's alright…"_

"Yuu-ki…" his body pulsated and he fell onto his knees, his hands shooting for his hair. "I… I'm…" his eyes glowed red with lust and he covered his nose and mouth quickly. Someone was bleeding, somewhere on campus, and here he was… bent over, gasping, sweating, practically _moaning_ Yuuki's name. He needed her, maybe not just for blood, but just someone to stay near.

"Yuu-ki…" the lust started to fade as the smell did, and he uncovered his nostrils and mouth. He looked up at the mirror. He continued to glare at himself with those horrified lavender eyes through the mirror, and he shakily stood back up. "I'm sorry… Yuuki."

**-x-**

The cool crisp air hit her face in one elegant swoop of wind. Yuuki knew she didn't feel right, that she was constantly getting emptier. She knew it was because something was wrong with Zero.

She ran hard, surprised her shoes weren't slipping from her feet as she stumbled down the cobblestone path leading to the fountain. If there was anywhere she should stop first, it was there, because Zero enjoyed walks to that spot.

Yuuki couldn't help but feel a little triumphant that she knew that secret about him.

When she reached the fountain, she desperately looked around for her friend. By the arches, the garden on the outside, and the fountain in the middle. Zero wasn't anywhere near the fountain. She walked forward, throwing her head under the water. It dribbled down the side of her neck and off of her collarbone, and she stared at the marble carving in the middle. _If I can't find him_ she thought, her red eyes filled with worry and a hint of hurt _does that mean he's left the academy?_

She pulled her head out from the fountain and smacked both cheeks with each hand confidently, "Don't think things like that!" she told herself as she spun on her heel and took a step forward. "Oof!" it took her a second or two for her brain to process that she'd bumped into someone, and she backed up hastily and bowed in apology. "I'm so sorry, I should've been watching where I was going, and…"

"Nonsense," the calm voice spoke from above her, and she looked up to stare at the dark eyes of Kaname. "It was a little odd of me to see you and not get out of your way when you're clearly in a hurry. Are you alright, Yuuki?"

If she told him she was looking for Zero, he might stop her. _And I can't have that happen_ she thought, determined. She looked up and flash a semi-innocent smile. "Oh, I'm just cooling off after a rough night in. Shouldn't you been in class now, Kaname?"

The vampire smiled and bent down to rest his forehead on hers. She staggered back a little; she had been so in love with Kaname, but now… he was becoming a little overbearing. _How could you think that? _She chastised herself, _Kaname saved my life! Of course he's going to be overbearing, he's looking out for me!_

"Kaname…" she breathily said, and he pulled back, pivoting on his heel and walking back in the direction he came. "Have a nice night… Kaname."

And, as soon as he disappeared from her sight, she ran off in the direction of Zero's dorm.

**-x-**

By the time Zero had finally made it to his bed, he was physically drained.

It had taken so much will power just for him _not_ to go out and find whatever was bleeding moments before, but not only was he too tired, he was also in a bit more control of himself. He leaned against the wall his bed was pressed against, his head bent back exposing his own neck to the cool air.

His skin was dripping from a cold shower after he'd had his episode. He _hated_ that one in particular, because he had to fight it with every ounce of himself. It wasn't Yuuki's blood, which relieved him, but that didn't mean it wasn't as sweet as hers. _No. Yuuki's blood is sweet because she has a kind heart._ (Which, in truth, had nothing to do with it. All blood was sweet to vampires, even half-bloods like him).

He'd just closed his eyes as the quiet settled in his room when a knock shook him awake.

"Who's there?" Zero asked getting up from his bed, and he met the stranger at his door, speaking through the wood. The knob turned and the door opened ever so slightly, where he found a panting Yuuki. "Yuuki, what're you doing here? Go back to your dorm."

The brunette looked up at him, lower lip protruding in a pout. "And why should I? I just came to see if you were alright, because… I had this fleeting feeling, like…" she rambled on as he carefully pulled his door open and pulled her inside. "Like I was losing you again."

Zero made a surprised noise in his throat and made a face at her. "Keh. Losing me? You won't lose me, even if I become a Level E. If and when, I mean," he kept his voice low and she cut across to sit on his bed. He joined her.

"Are you thirsty?" she asked plainly, and she watched his eyes grow wide. Yes, he was thirsty for her blood, but _no_ he wasn't going to accept it like he usually did. He looked away, feeling that warm feeling on his face again. "Because I ran all the way here, so my blood is pumping. It's okay, Zero, if you are or if you aren't."

He leapt at her in one swift motion, but not directly for her neck. She was now pinned to the bed, his hands on either side of her ears, and his eyes were covered by his hair. "Yuuki… I…" he said through the lump in his throat, but he couldn't tear himself away from his spot. Yuuki didn't even protest, and instead arched her back a little and tilted her head to the side. Zero ran his tongue across his sharp fangs and bent down slowly… _If I'm going to do this, then I have to fight off my bloodlust with every inch of me._

Yuuki closed her eyes as his cheek rubbed against hers and expected the feeling of his warm tongue on her neck. Instead, she felt him shake. He was trying to fight himself. She placed her fingers in his hair and pulled his head down a little more. "Zero, I told you it's alright." She sounded a little demanding, and he bent down to her neck. She felt his warm tongue on her neck, but this time she couldn't feel the want for blood in the way he did it. His tongue wasn't as hungrily flirtatious, just… flirtatious, and she looked at him through slitted eyelids. "Zero?"

He ignored her worried voice and pulled his face away from her neck. "Yuuki?"

"Yes, Zero?"

"I'm… going to try something. Something different. And I want you to just stay still, alright?"

She nodded, loosening her hands in his hair and gently placing them on his shoulders. "Alright." She closed her eyes and felt him come down again, but this time she didn't feel the sharp sting of his fangs. This feeling was soft and very shy, and she opened her eyes again. She tried to say his name, but found it came out in more of a gasp. "Z-Zero…"

_I'm going to screw this up… I'm going to screw this up_… The half-blood kissed her neck gently, minding his fangs. He felt her legs spread from beneath her, and he scooted close to her, pressing his chest on hers and burying his head in her shoulder. He knew his cheeks were going to be flushed, and was aware that hers already were from how hot her cheek was at this moment as it slowly settled in what it was he was doing. He pulled back, panting slightly, and launched again for her skin. He kissed her neck, the curve of her jaw, and her chin before picking his head back up and looking at her. Red locked with lavender and the rest was history.

"Zero…"

"Yuuki… I'm not sure how _long_ it's been since it started, but… I love you."

Her eyes widened in shock. "You… you love…"

"But I know we can't be together, because…" he continued on, leaning forward and resting his forehead on hers, "…I could kill you at any given moment. I could never live with myself if I hurt you more than I already am."

Yuuki was in shock; she knew she harbored feelings for Zero, more than just-a-friend feelings, but she was never sure if he felt the same. He was very protective of her and thought of it only as a sibling-like protectiveness. She sighed and looked up at him with that same smile she always wore. "Zero…" she couldn't bring herself to form the words, but her mouth was moving before they could reach her vocal chords. _I love you… I love you…_ she mouthed, and he chuckled slightly. "What's so funny?" she asked quietly, yet sternly. The look in his eyes showed he was smiling, but his mouth was turned into a slight frown.

"Nothing. I just didn't expect you to look at me in any other way than a friend. I've known you for almost five years, and all you've done is take care of me in some way. I didn't think it was because you felt something for me."

Yuuki smiled at him, letting her eyes become gentle with that same loving look she only gave him. "You knucklehead… that's not the complete reason why. You'd had a terrible event happen in your life, and since then have been trying to stop yourself from prematurely transforming. All I'm doing is trying to make sure you understand that… you can lean on me a little more."

Zero was taken aback; never had he harbored such feelings for a person before, and never in his _life_ has someone offered to take a bit of the burden he bore. He was always told it was _his _burden, and _he_ had to live with it. He felt an odd sensation at his eyes and felt something prick his eyelids. He buried himself in her shoulder again, making no motion to either bite or kiss her again. She wrapped her arms around his head, holding him close.

"It's alright, Zero," she said in a loving whisper as a gust of wind blew his curtains apart. She closed her eyes, sighing as the air crashed into their bodies like a wave and sent her into a frenzy of sighs. Zero's breathing had calmed some, and she turned her head slightly to feel his warm, steady breath on her neck as he slept soundly on her shoulder. She smiled and rested the bridge of her nose on the side of his face. "It's alright. I'm always going to be with you. I promised."

_And I don't intend on breaking that promise._

~o~

**Yes. I know you've seen this before. But I decided to organize all of my Zeki one-shots into one collection. It's much more organized that way.**

**Since this is the first of the collection, I'll say this and mean it throughout the entire thing: I don't own any material, it belongs to Matsuri Hino and the producers of the anime. I'm merely borrowing.**

**Ooookay. Please review, even though you have once already!**

**~Cookie**

**PS: Updates are going to be utterly random and whenever I finish a shot. Ratings will vary, but I'm keeping it at an averaged T. Expect between K-M, maybe.**


	2. By Your Side, T

**By Your Side**

~o~

_Blood…_

A soft thud echoed in the depths of Zero Kiryuu's bedroom as he fell to the floor in a dazed heap of black. His black Cross Academy jacket was thrown helplessly on the chair by the foot of his bed, and his white button-up shirt was unbuttoned partway to expose his chest to the cool air being let in by the partially opened window. His eyes were filled with a bright red shine, and he was burying his head in his hands, letting out haggard breaths as he tried to compose himself.

He'd run from Yuuki… Run. _Like a coward_. All because he saw the happening of a cat getting hit by a bicycle. The bloody corpse had been thrown feet in front of the vehicle, just as he and Yuuki were walking back to the Academy from the Coffee Shop she loved so much. The blood sprayed in a thin ribbon-like trail to its more recent resting place; in front of the path where Yuuki was walking.

"_Oh, God!"_ She'd been so terrified when the thing landed at her feet. She was wearing a casual summer dress that reached lower than her other shirts she normally wore. Underneath was a white camisole, so it wasn't a horrible looking ensemble. Her hair, shoulder-length and a deep chocolate brown, sported a white band with a bow, which was only perfected and illuminated by the sunset sky above where they'd been walking in town.

_Oh, god…_ Zero remembered thinking, his hands shooting straight to cover up his nostrils and mouth with his hand. He stared wide-eyed at the poor animal below him, and he didn't even feel sorry for it.

Had he been human, he just might have. But he was a despicable beast now. _Despicable…_

His blood lust had begun to take control just as Yuuki grabbed his arm and begged him to take her away. She couldn't bring herself to move; the will to, after seeing such an event occur in front of her before she could even think, had melted away from her body, leaving her horror-stricken and completely frozen. She'd been whimpering beside him. _"Zero, please… I… I can't move!"_

Instead, he gruffly grabbed her hand and shoved her forward. He could've picked her up and ran back to the academy like a hero, but he was more of the monster in a fairy tale than a hero. _"Zero, what're you…"_

"_Yuuki, go!"_ He'd yelled. The girl had tripped over her own feet, but managed to scramble back up and run ahead the half-blood. Zero clutched at his heart and reached into his pocket to pull out a small box of blood tablets. _They… they never stay down…but…_ He took out two and stared at them for a moment before pushing them into his mouth and feeling the white tablet scrape across his fangs. It only took a second for his breakfast to greet the tablets and he gagged and choked, spitting the concoction onto the concrete.

"_Zero-!"_

"_Go, Yuuki!"_

* * *

><p>And here he was; lusting for blood like the monster he was. He clutched at his throat and slowly moved his fingers to the tattoo on his neck, which was beginning to glow recognizing his thirst. "D-Damn it…" he mumbled, and he stumbled onto his feet and ran at the window, throwing it open and leaning over the edge, vomiting. It had never been this extreme, at least that he could remember. His chest rose and fell desperately and he ran his hand through his hair. "It's… It's starting to hurt now." His voice was a mere mumble, hardly understandable by even himself, and he pulled his head slowly through the window. "But… I can't…"<p>

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

The silver haired boy looked toward the door and wiped his sweat-matted forehead with his sleeve. Slowly and cautiously, he scuffed his feet against the wood floor of his room, sliding slightly as his socks glided with every move his feet made. He placed his hand on the knob, looked up to make sure the door was locked, and pulled it open slightly, the chain only allowing the door to show half of his face. He looked into the worried red eyes of his partner. "Yuuki… what are you doing here so late?"

She had in her arms a tray of seltzer, half an orange, and a bowl of warm cereal. "I… I thought you could use something to eat, Zero, since you didn't come over for supper like you usually do. Unfortunately, you don't like the food the Headmaster makes – I don't either, to be brutally honest – so I made you something I _know_ you'll eat. Can I come in?"

Zero let out a sigh of defeat; those eyes… they were so worried for him, over something that didn't have to worry her at all. He closed the door again and brought his fingers up to the lock, sliding the chain and metal bar from its place and opened the door again, looking at her, wearing his long-sleeve shirt and baggy cargo pants. She smiled at him and held the tray up so he could see it better. "C'mon. I made your _favorite_~!"

Zero moved to the side to let her walk in, and she obliged and walked straight for a desk by the window and set the food there. "I know why you aren't coming out of your dorm room. But, Zero… it's alright. You were just as horrified as I was today and… and I forgive you for yelling, okay?"

The half-blood stayed quiet and walked toward the desk, pulling out the chair and sitting in it, looking at the other guardian. He eyed the orange, and couldn't help but lick his lips at the red fruit. _Blood orange,_ he thought, and he let his lips twitch upward. Surprised, Yuuki watched his every move. "I… I thought it might cheer you up. Did it work?"

"A little," he spoke hoarsely, and he wrapped a hand around his throat loosely, his grip tightening when they slid over the middle of the tattoo. The girl smiled and nodded for him to start eating and she sat on his bed, crossing her legs in a butterfly sitting position. "I… I'm sorry I yelled at you, Yuuki. I wasn't afraid, I was… lusting. For blood. The blood of that poor, pathetic creature, and it was getting worse the more we stood there. I had to get out of there, and by the look on your face, so did you."

Yuuki stared at his face and gave him a small smile. "Oh." She couldn't bring herself to say much of anything, because she was so used to his thirst for blood by now; it had been almost two months, and in those couple of months he'd drank her blood thrice. And the second and third times weren't as much against her will as they were more her request and demand. She got up and sat on her knees in front of him and rested her head in his lap. Zero watched, confused, and felt a little color rush to his cheeks.

"Yuuki, what're you…"

"It's okay, ya know. I don't mind that you yelled at me. I shouldn't have been standing there like a scared little child. I'm sorry, too."

The half-blood felt another twitch of his lips and he rested one of his hands on the top of Yuuki's head. _You have nothing to be sorry for_ he tousled her hair, feeling her cheek rub on his leg and finally settle, relaxed. He looked out the window and reached over to grab the orange and pull it to his mouth. _I'm… almost afraid to eat this. _He parted his lips, exposing his fangs, and bit into the red fruit. He drank the red juice first, and Yuuki smiled and watched him in amusement. Her brown hair obscured her vision a little, but she'd have rather watched him under her hair with the dazed expression of hers than with her hair moved. Her red eyes softened and she let a smile grace her features.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Zero pulled the orange from his lips, the red juice having stained his upper lips. Yuuki giggled.

"Like what?" the prefect asked, lifting her chin from his legs and giving him a questioning look. The softness in her eyes didn't fade and neither had the smile.

Her partner set the de-juiced carcass of the orange on the plate and looked at her with a curious expression in his lavender eyes. She couldn't lie to that face if she wanted to. "Yuuki, you know 'like what'. You've got that distant look in your eyes, and you're smiling like an idiot. Why are you looking at me like that?" _Like I'm Kaname…_

Yuuki looked away, feeling color quickly rush to her cheeks. Her partner blinked, and she rested her chin on his lap. "It's just… I dunno, I haven't seen you look so… calm before now. You're always so unhappy about something, and… I just like this." _I just wish you'd smile at me. I haven't seen you smile, I don't think, ever. _

"Oh," he said quietly, and he let out a long sigh. "Is… it bad? That I'm calm?" His voice was tentative and made his chest rumble at how low it had come out. Yuuki sat up and stood in front of him, stretching her arms over her head and taking a long sigh. Zero followed suit, standing two feet taller than her and resting a hand on the top of her head, looking at her with that concerned look of his.

"It's not bad," she reassured him by smiling, wishing he'd smile back (like Kaname always did, she thought wistfully, but she shook the thought away immediately), but all she got was another ruffle of the hair and his unique scent as he walked around her and sat on his bed. She stared at the wall then slowly turned to look at him. "I prefer you being calm to you being angry or sad. But…" she took a hesitant step forward but stopped, putting her hands on her hips in an act of desperation. "I'd also like to see you smile sometime, too."

_What's there to smile about? _Zero thought, looking down at his hands which were crossed over his thighs. _I lost my family when I was a little kid and was taken in by a pacifist and am attending the same private school as the very same creature that killed my mother and father. Then, my brother disappears without a trace. Excuse me for not smiling_. He could never bring himself to say that to her; he cared too much about her to risk raising his voice and sounding like an asshole. He closed his eyes and looked back up at her with the same calm expression. "You… want to see me… smile?"

"Well, I haven't yet. You're always so unhappy, and… I just want to see you smile. Have you… ever smiled at anyone before, Zero?"

It sounded like a pretty stupid question, but as far as the silver-haired vampire was concerned, it was a pretty good one. He watched, day after day, that damned Kaname Kuran smile at her with that same sweet, loving smile on his stupid, perfect little face. _Why can't I ever smile like that at her when I feel the very same way about her as he (ahem, _thinks_ he) does?_ His partner walked toward him again and sat right next to him, resting her hand on his cheek and pulling his face to hers. "What is it going to take to make you smile, huh? I've known you for almost five years, and you're my _best_ friend. What can I do, Zero?"

_For starters, you can keep your hand there for a little while longer_ Zero thought wistfully, a little bit of color appearing on his cheeks (more specifically, pink) and he rested a hand on hers and closed his eyes. "Why does it matter? You smile enough for the both of us." _Why do I feel like I made a wrong move?_

"Oh, for god's _sake_, Zero!" Yuuki suddenly looked hurt by his words, and he retreated slightly at the tone she took. "You think that, because I smile, you don't have to? It's a two way street! If I'm happy, you've got to be happy. If you're not, I'm not. That's how it's going to work, o_kay_?" tears pricked at her eyes, and Zero made a surprised noise in his throat.

_No… don't cry, Yuuki…_

"I… I'm sick of always seeing you in pain, and me not being able to do anything about it. All I'm ever able to do… is let you drink my blood, and… I just want… to see you happy." Tears promptly fell down her cheeks in ribbons and she bent her head downward, hiding beneath her thin brown bangs. "It's… is it too much to ask?"

Zero locked his mouth shut and pulled her into an embrace, letting her head rest in his chest. Her hands grabbed his shirt and she cried quietly into his chest. Her fingers left tiny imprints in the thin fabric, and the half-blood wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her into him more. He couldn't find it in himself to say anything, because he _knew_ what she wanted. He could taste it, as farfetched as it sounded. He let a long sigh come from his nose, and the guardian in his arms looked up at him. He wiped her tears with his thumbs and sent her a worried expression.

"Feel better?" his voice was quiet.

All Yuuki did was nod at him, and he let his lips twitch into a relieved smirk. She looked at him and smiled brightly. "You have to make both sides of your lips go upwards." She demonstrated and then used her fingers to drag the corner of his lips upwards. He looked absolutely stupid, but judging how she was crying and so hurt by the fact that she couldn't make him smile, he wasn't going to stop her. He heard a small giggle come from her as she looked at him. "There. Keep it like that!"

As she pulled her fingers away, the corners of his mouth started to fall again, but he made them retreat back upwards for fear of her touching him again. By his mouth. His _fangs_. Before he knew it, he was smiling at her, and she let out a gasp. "Zero! You _can_ smile! And it looks so _great_ when you do!"

"Th-Thanks," the half-blood murmured, and the guardian beside him looked outside at the setting sun. He followed suit and got up off the bed, grabbing at his black jacket and swinging it around his shoulders. When Yuuki got up and had stopped paying attention, he let his lips droop into a melancholy line again. "Come on, we've got duties to attend to. We can go right from here."

"Right!" the brunette patted Artemis at her thigh and ran for the door excitedly. "I'll race you outside, Zero!"

"Bet you'll win, Yuuki!" he deadpanned as she ran out the door, and he took one final sigh and looked at himself in the mirror.

"_Zero! You __can__ smile! And it looks so __great__ when you do!"_

He'd heard it; he knew he did. He grinned at the mirror and stalked toward the door of his dorm room, closing the door and digging his hands in the pockets of his trousers, and walked to the direction of the exit, where he was sure Yuuki was going to jump out and surprise him. _I have a feeling,_ he thought as he rounded the corner, _that she's never going to let me live it down that I let her see me smile._

He was so glad he had someone like Yuuki by his side. Anyone else, he was sure, wouldn't have gone to all that trouble to get him to smile, he was sure. _Thank you_ the half-blood said through telepathy as he made it to the exit to see a whooping brown-haired, pink cheeked Yuuki Cross. He rolled his eyes and took the lead, hearing her run to match his footsteps, and link her arm through his. _Thank you for being by my side, Yuuki._

_I don't care what Kaname says, or how he feels about it_ Yuuki said to herself, staring at the group of girls standing outside the Moon dorms and letting out a cry of frustration. _But always know that I'm going to stay by your side, Zero._

~o~

**Reviews make me feel all tingly inside!**

**~Cookie**


	3. What Hurt the Most, K

**What Hurt the Most**

~o~

It wasn't like him being so secretive really hurt her; he'd always been like that, and for good reason. Why let someone in, if they'll end up slipping right through your fingers? Often, Yuuki told herself, as if telling Zero, _"You're never going to lose me, silly. I won't leave you. You're my best friend."_

_God_, had she been such a fool.

Nothing had changed after she'd found out her best friend was a vampire. Not even after each bite that, somehow, left her wanting him to hold her like that more often… Maybe, if he had, she would've been able to keep her promise. Maybe things would've been different if he'd just embraced her as if he was doing the most despicable thing in the world.

Of course, she knew, he thought he was whether he bit her or not.

It was shortly after that she made the decision: she would give him her blood to keep him alive. To ensure that he'd keep fighting those dark instincts that could eventually be the death of him and even herself. A silent promise, a screaming heart, a crying soul. Took her blood with much coaxing. He thought he was even more despicable.

Nothing she said had ever made him think otherwise. He'd been so… _disgusting_… for four years, why should he think any different of himself? Especially when he'd taken her blood on many occasions.

It wasn't until the Pureblood prince Kaname Kuran came along that she realized she'd have to make a choice. Especially after he'd kissed her with his mouth full of his pure blood and turned her into the very being her best friend loathed.

After she'd drank Zero's blood, it was obvious what his feelings for her were. It was stupid of her not to realize them before, like the time he'd almost kissed her. And, she couldn't get it out of her head, even afterward. Even now.

It's been almost three years since she left the Academy, hidden within the Kuran palace in the North, unable to look out the window at the snow falling down outside. If she'd chosen the path with Zero, would she be able to sit in front of the fire and watch the snow fall? Drinking hot chocolate with extra whipped cream – and getting mustaches which were altogether sweeter and more delightful then any milk mustache – and feeling the warmth from both the steaming delight and the softness of their bodies melding together so perfectly…

"But this is better, isn't it?"

The door opened and the chocolate-locked vampire princess stood up, walking over and kissing her older brother – _fiancé_ – on the side of the mouth. She'd hoped he wasn't reading her thoughts again, and flashed a small, regal smile at him before his mahogany eyes softened and held her in a tight embrace. "Welcome home, Kaname."

_I guess I've gotten used to that…_ crimson eyes lidded and stared at the dark jacket sprinkled with snowflakes. Her arms snaked around the dark vampire's back and held his body to her as she inhaled the scent of the first snow. _The fact that… no matter how much I wait… I'll never see him again._

**-x-**

Cross Academy. Three years later, it was still a well-renowned Private School, housing its students in the dorms. He'd graduated a year ago and was proud to hold his diploma, but he didn't show it… he never did. His frown became permanently glued to his face.

He had no reason to smile.

Zero sat in front of a fire, but didn't feel the warmth he should've. The spot beside him was bare and he was wrapped up in a blanket, stretched out alone the length of the couch with his feet hanging off. He had a perfect view of the snowflakes drifting down, the wind swirling them and scattering them, making them even more unique and somewhat beautiful.

He stayed at the Headmaster's Villa upon the request of the Association. Kaien Cross was the only one – and even now, he was still hard to handle – who could even somewhat see inside Zero. Right through him, and he hated it. _It's like he's peeking inside me… and I hate it. I hate this. _

Footsteps entered the small living room, and his adopted father-in-spirit looked over the top of the couch. "Zero. Are you going to be laying her like this all night?"

"If I have an assignment, just come out and say it."

His cold tone made the Headmaster's eyebrows knit with worry, but he quickly recovered. "You have no assignments this week. It's almost Christmas, after all.

"I have to leave for a little while. I have a meeting with the Society tomorrow afternoon and will be gone for about three days. Will you be alright?"

"Sure." Zero quipped as his silver bangs covered his lonely expression. _Have I ever been alright?_

With a sigh and small nod, the Headmaster left. Zero only got off of the couch to briefly see his caramel-haired father disappear in the snow-filled night, and he walked toward the window, placing his pale fingers on the glass. He closed his lavender eyes, his eyelashes fluttering against the hard glass in front of him, and something warm trickled down his face.

_What hurts the most_

_Is being so close_

_And having so much to say_

_And watching you walk away_

_And never knowing_

_What could've been_

_And not seeing that lovin' you_

_Is what I was trying to do._

~o~

**Reviews make me write more!**

**~Cookie**


	4. Cherished, K

**Cherished**

~o~

It was a calm night at Cross Academy; the Night Class was safely wrapped up in their studies and the Day Class (girls) was nestled in their beds. All in all, it was a good night.

If only Yuuki could find Zero.

_Sometimes I question his loyalty to the Headmaster's… okay, so he has no loyalty to the Headmaster's ideology, but the least he could do is fulfill his duty as a fellow Guardian!_ Yuuki's mind and heart was racing as thoughts entwined in her head. _I mean, would it __kill__ him to be on time for once? Jeez, the nerve of that Zero Kiryuu!_

She knew all – _almost_ all – of Zero's hiding spots, and had checked all but one: the horse barn. He napped alongside the appropriately-nicknamed Horse from Hell, White Lily. Yuuki sometimes felt a little jealous, with how much time he spent with the mare and was so affectionate with her. _Stop that!_ Yuuki smacked her cheeks as she neared the door. _He cares about you, too, he just shows it differently._

"Zero, are you in…" she spun around the corner only to nearly fall on a single long leg, outstretched in front of the threshold, the other bent upward toward the ceiling. As Yuuki's eyes gazed further upward, a Day Class jacket was unbuttoned and thrown helplessly across the barn and the top buttons of a white button-down were unbuttoned, exposing a pale, toned chest. Forcing herself to examine the body lying in front of her, she caught sight of a bobbing Adam's apple and a sweat-coated face. Silver bangs covered eyes pinched closed in pain, and teeth gritted as a strangled gasp echoed in the silence of the stable. "Zero…" _A nightmare?_

Yuuki stepped over Zero's outstretched leg and was careful not to step on or kick anything that might wake him up. _But wouldn't it be better if I did? He looks like he's in so much pain…_ she knelt beside him, brushing his bangs away from his eyes, careful to not touch his skin. Soaked with sweat… what was he dreaming about?

"Y-Yuuki…"

The brunette guardian paused upon hearing her named ground out between his lips, staring into his closed eyes as if demanding entrance into his thoughts. "Zero, I'm right here." Of course, voicing her concern never seemed to work. But maybe this time was different. Maybe…

"Yuu…ki!" this time, Zero's fangs had begun to elongate, piercing his own lip. The girl he called out for fought the urge to shake him awake or caress his cheek, staring mildly in shock and slight concern. _Zero, I'm right here! I'll always be here! _Her mind yelled in desperation the words she didn't dare say herself for fear of becoming frantic. He called her name out again, and again, and even gasped and grunted as his tattoo glowed red.

Yuuki had had enough. _I can't let him suffer like this… I have to wake him up!_ She reached out and touched his cheek while her other hand shook his arm. "Zero. Zero you need to wake up!" When she got no reaction from the Level D, she puffed out her cheeks and shook him a little harder. "Zero, come on. We have patrol!" Again, no response. What was she going to have to do to wake him up? She looked up at the mare who had lowered her head to watch over her sleeping friend, then flashed dangerous eyes to Yuuki as if saying 'What are you doing touching him?'

Yuuki simply looked up at her with crimson eyes filled with worry. "Oh, Lily, what do I do?"

The horse whinnied and bent her neck forward, tugging gently on Zero's silver strands. Slowly, he woke, lavender eyes cloudy with sleep and swirling with emotion from his nightmare. "What's wrong, Lily?" he looked up to see Yuuki, whose hands were firmly clasped together as if praying. "Yuuki? What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with…" _Does he not remember the pain he was in? _"…me? I just came to find you, nothing's wrong at all!" _Unless he's forcing himself not to._ "But, er, are you alright? You looked uncomfortable, almost scared, for a minute there."

His features darkened and he sat up, holding his head and dragging his pale hand through his hair. "I'm fine. It was just a nightmare."

Yuuki could've pressed the matter further. Really, she wouldn't have minded it. But she knew her friend would tell her in time, when he was ready to tell her. For now, she'd just be there with silent comfort. Even if he pretended not to know why and what for.

**-x-**

It wasn't until a week later that the same thing happened again. And again, if memory served her right.

Zero's nightmares were becoming more and more frequent; so frequent that he had to sleep at the Headmaster's villa so that he wouldn't disturb the other boys in the Sun dormitories. The closer she got to him, the more he pushed her away. Was it another one of his "Zero kills Yuuki" nightmares? No, he would've been pulling her close, not pushing her away. What if it was a "Yuuki kills Zero" nightmare, one she'd never even _think_ about let alone perform? _No. He knows I'd never __ever__ do that._

So… what was it?

"Yuuki can you help me with dinner, dear?" the cheery voice of her father distracted her from her thoughts, and she looked up from her spot at the dining room table. When she called back that she would in as happy a voice as she could, she pushed herself away from the maple table and, after brushing down her dark skirt and straightening her white button-down blouse before she walked in to join her father. "Oh, thank you! I sent Zero to bed, he had a slight fever and was fairly irritable. Poor boy."

_Fever? He hardly ever gets sick… _Yuuki's expression immediately was thickly coated with worry. "Sick? Oh, poor Zero…" it was then Yuuki decided to help out enough for the both of them, and she grinned at her father. "I'll do whatever you want! I'll even bring Zero his food, Headma—father!"

The preparations for dinner went swiftly; Yuuki helped peel and slice potatoes and mashing them after, as well as putting the corn bread in and taking it out. At the same time, the Headmaster set the citrus-marinated chicken in the oven and took it out while stirring the green beans on the stove. Dinner was ready in less than an hour, and Yuuki quickly brought out the metal tray and started dishing Zero's dinner before her own. _I'm sure he's been cooped up… I didn't see him in classes today…_ "Alright, here I go!"

The Headmaster's quiet "Good luck, Yuuki!" was almost unheard. _Almost._

As she walked down the hall toward his room, the brunette couldn't help but worry and overthink what could be wrong with her partner; she'd known him for almost five years, and there was nothing she couldn't figure out automatically. This, however, was different. This wasn't something she could figure out so easily. He had too many fears.

When she stopped in front of his door, she felt an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion shoot through her. It must be from Zero, she inwardly gasped, and she turned the knob of his door. What she saw, however, almost made her drop the tray of food.

Zero was lying in bed, his head on top of a bent arm. He was facing the wall, but he coughed and gasped like she did when she got a bad case of the flu. She entered slowly and quietly, leaving the door ajar, and placed the tray on his desk. "Zero?" she walked to his bed and sat on the side of it, reaching a hand out and resting it on his shoulder. "Can you maybe eat something?" her voice was timid, almost too quiet to hear, but he turned to face her anyway.

"Y-Yuuki?" his face was paler than usual and a little flushed, his eyes cloudy with his slight fever and his lips dry and cracked. "Wh…at're you…? Yeah, I think so." Slowly – and with Yuuki's help – Zero sat up and held his head in his hands. "So… dizzy."

Yuuki's crimson eyes closed only for a second when she took her hand off his shoulder and gently sat up from his bed. _He really is sick… I was partially hoping it was just his thirst; that I know I can fix, but… this…_She walked to retrieve the tray and brought it over, getting onto the bed and resting her legs on either side of his, sitting direction in front of him. "I'm sorry you got sick, Zero. I wish I could take-…"

"No," Zero stopped her, pulling his hand away from his face and giving her a small, feverish smile. "It isn't your fault, quit lookin' at me like that." He reached out and ruffled her bangs before his hand shot for his mouth, coughing. The girl in front of him scooted closer and rested her hand on his tattoo, ignoring the stickiness of his sweat and smiling. His lavender eyes looked at her slowly, unfocused, questioning.

Her eyes always provided some sort of safety for him, that whenever he looked deep within them he could feel a protective barrier against his fears. She saved him, in more ways than one, and he couldn't deny that he loved her for it. With the feeling of her hand on his neck, the place that had begun to ache along with his pounding heard and swirling vision, he closed his eyes for a minute and fell forward onto her shoulder. She panicked, just for a moment, before she swiftly pushed the food against the wall and wrapped her arms around his hot head. "It's okay, Zero."

His hands came around her back and held her close, and she could've sworn for a second that he was going to bite her neck. But that small sting never came; only something warm trickled down her shoulder, collar bone, down her shirt. _Zero, please don't be…_

When the same, unfamiliar sensation was felt again, she wrapped her arms tighter around him. "I'm not going to leave you. Ever, Zero, ever… not even now." Her warm smile was felt through his hair, and he couldn't help but gnash his teeth together the same way he did before he bit her or gave her some other reason to make him believe she hated him. His grip tightened only the slightest bit as the warmth from his body meshed with hers and she was on her knees embracing the boy in front of her. _Is that what you dreamt about?_

His shy, wavering voice was nearly muffled by her shirt. "Promise?"

_Do I pro—Zero, that is what you dreamt about…_ "I promise. Even if you think I should be afraid of you, I'm going to stay by your side." Her voice oozed reassurance, and his body slowly began to calm, even cooling down the slightest bit. His breathing was no longer staggering and his arms around her had become gentle, loving, affectionate. A soft blush bubbled onto her cheeks, and she lifted his chin up to look into his eyes, watery and clearing up. "Always."

And, for the first time in a _very_ long time, Zero actually felt loved and cherished.

~o~

**I am just CHALK-FULL of Zeki one-shots... Not like anyone's complaining, right? :I**

**Anyway, I'd really like to hear your thoughts. I'm also taking requests as well as plot ideas for RotC's sequel, still Temporarily Untitled. The prologue is ready for upload, just giving it a while longer to write some more of it.**

**Please review!~ **

**~Cookie**


	5. Sparkles, K

**Title: **Sparkles

**Summary: **Zero couldn't believe his best friend could stoop to such levels.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Vampire Knight, I wouldn't still reside with my parents.

**EDIT: **I saw a few errors while I was reading through it (_Shut up! I know I'm that sad!_) so I fixed them.

* * *

><p>Zero couldn't believe his best friend could stoop to such levels. That she could read something so <em>ridiculous<em> when the truth was MORE than obvious; they'd grown up around someone who had a more-than-decent knowledge of the subject. When they were younger, it never came up, where it would be much more suitable and almost expected that it be mentioned. But, nothing. Nada, zilch, _zero_. A tick marked pulsated on his head.

It couldn't be avoided. Why was hitting girls against the rules of the Academy?

"Yuuki…" Zero murmured, sending a death glare over to his friend. "You can't be serious!"

Yuuki shot her friend a glower. "But, I am! Why would a famous author _write_ it if it wasn't true!"

_How would an American writer know vampires exist? _He inwardly deadpanned.

Kaien Cross stood with his back against the counter-top, his arms crossed in thought. "I can't say that I would know firsthand, darling. Maybe Kaname will be able to help you out! He's on his way over, and- Zero, stop making that face at me!" Zero rolled his eyes, turning his glare over to the wall.

Yuuki stared at her foster father with starry eyes before looking to Zero. "But, I can't wait that long! I need to know NOW!"

Before Zero would be able to protest, Yuuki pushed him in front of the window. Surprised gasps and flailing limbs tried to dissuade her, but Yuuki ignored him. Her fingers worked swiftly, almost expertly, unbuttoning his blazer and throwing it to the ground before she grabbed his white button-up and started to do the first button. Zero stopped her then.

"You're being ridiculous! And stupid!"

As the 's' word left his lips, an unpleasant feeling made Zero growl under his breath and he looked at the doorway to see Kaname. His wine-colored eyes were unwavering and very... almost mysterious. He was about to retort when Yuuki's beaming face broke the uncomfortable silence. "Kaname! I need your help!"

He quickly obliged with a charming smile, "Anything, Yuuki."

She took his hand – Zero grumbled; had she taken his hand like that and pulled him almost gracefully to the window, he wouldn't have minded as much as being shoved – with little protest and requested, "Can you take off your blazer for a moment? And…" her cheeks began to glow bright pink, realizing what she'd almost asked of him, and Kaien thankfully butted in then.

"She's been reading this American novel for the past few days," he reasoned with one of his kind smiles. Kaname returned it. "And, she's trying to test out something that occurs within it. Apparently, it's about vampires, so…"

Zero butt in here; he may not like Kaname in any sense, but maybe he could get the two out of it, "Yuuki is trying to see if we sparkle; some fairy vampire sparkles when exposed to sunlight and she believes it may be true."

Much to Zero's chagrin and Yuuki's pure delight, Kaname smiled. "If she wants to test this theory, I have no problem." Zero was sure the Pureblood thought, _I'd let her undress me anytime she wanted_, because a twinkle in his eye made Zero give him a death glare. The bastard.

So, Yuuki nervously moved back to unbuttoning Zero until half of his alabaster chest was exposed. Kaname undid his own white blazer, hanging it over his forearm, and unbuttoned his black button-down halfway to expose his own chest, and suddenly, a very disappointed look overcame Yuuki's face. "Oh. So, then… it isn't true?"

"What exactly is it that she's trying to figure out, Headmaster Cross?" Kaname walked over to console Yuuki, having pushed Zero back by the shoulder, resulting in the pale-haired Level D grumbling something under his breath, and Yuuki faked a sniffle.

"I-In the book, v-vampires can… can s-sparkle!"

…Kaname's jaw dropped.

"Their skin sparkles in the sunlight," Kaien explained, going to stand beside Zero to calm him down. The pale-haired vampire only pushed past him, taking a seat on top of the kitchen counter. The Headmaster sighed.

Kaname nodded at the Headmaster's clarification. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, Yuuki." The dark-haired man looked to the Headmaster. "Headmaster. A word, please."

"Of course," he nodded at the Pureblood who headed toward the study, and looked to his adopted daughter and son-in-spirit. "If you both would excuse me." He smiled in apology and followed.

Zero was thankful it was over and watched as Yuuki walked over to the shopping bag which had once held the groceries bought by her today. "Zero? C'mere!"

Not being able to argue – nor would he want to, really – he slid off the counter and went into the living before something was thrown into his face, the contact making him shut his eye tight to avoid getting it into his eyes. He spat out the substance that had stuck to his lips into his hand and opened one lavender eye, and nearly punched the doorway in irritation. For Gods' sake…

"You may not have been able to sparkle, but you can now!"

Before he could think of something to say in response, Yuuki started to laugh like a madwoman, having lost her balance a bit and tumbled into his chest, letting his skin absorb the pure glee she felt.

And he thought only for a second that maybe, _maybe_, he could let this slide, if it meant hearing her laugh.

Even if it was at his expense.

* * *

><p><em>Yay! I hope you guys enjoyed my unsuccessful attempt at humor! <em>-_-

_The slight Zeki couldn't be avoided, but I really liked that last part. _:3 _This scenario wouldn't leave me alone._

_For someone who'd hoped that this was an update for _Eternal Bond, _I apologize. That update isn't for another week. But, it's all ready for you guys, so don't fret!_

-Cookie-

**PS **_Please review! And, tell me how completely unfunny I am! _:D

**PPS **_The thing she'd thrown at Zero was a packet of sparkles. I apologize if that was unclear._


	6. Tainted, T

**Tainted**

~o~

Zero walked into his temporary home, all but throwing his duffel bag onto the floor with one hand as his other rubbed at his temple warily. He hated his job; staring down a Level E who had raped and murdered teenage girls in his run-down apartment in a third-rate neighborhood. His order was terribly cliché, and long, and tiring. He wanted a hot shower and to crash on the couch.

"Zero, are you here?"

A groan left his lips and he picked his head up to look at his girlfriend tiredly. A bright smile lay over her fair skin as she stepped forward to collect him into her arms. "I was worried about you," she said softly, and he couldn't resist wrapping his arms around her any longer.

"I'm fine," he shortly replied, keeping his empty eyes out of her vision as she stepped back to examine him, poking at his chest with a frown. "Will ya' quit that? I hurt, you know."

"You're hurt? Where?" her voice was frantic as she grabbed his hand in both of hers – as his hands were larger, naturally, but very calloused – and rubbed it against her cheek. A brief glint of contentment flashed in his lavender eyes, but it left almost as soon as Yuuki noticed it. Realization made her eyebrows knit together, and she stilled her – _and his _– hand.

"Oh."

Silence washed over them before Zero decided he'd rather pass out clean than in his current state, and he pulled his hand back to pull his long, blue trench coat off of his shoulders, a loud 'Crack!' making the girl standing shorter than him cringe; a shower was _exactly_ what he needed. To offer some sort of help, Yuuki walked behind him and helped slip the article off of him, hanging it over a chair, rubbing at his shoulders. "You go get your things, I'll draw the bath for you-"

"I'll be showering," Zero cut in, but Yuuki gave him a firm look, lips pressed into a line.

"Then, I'll start the water for you," she reasoned, flashing him a small smile before turning down the small corridor leading to their small bathroom, and disappeared through the door. Zero, inwardly wondering how she could _possibly_ be so happy all the damned time, shook his head and walked through the corridor and into the bedroom they occupied.

**-x-**

Zero stood in the shower, letting the warm steam envelop his worn, tense body. The muscles in his back contracted once, before the knots seemed to loosen and he let out a soft sigh. He hated his job. He hated having to be the Association's lapdog, even if it meant protecting his beautiful girlfriend for one more day. Most of all, he hated… hated staring into the cold eyes of the monster he'd inevitably become.

His life as a Level D was prolonged; while he didn't get to drink the blood of his 'master', Shizuka Hio, his brother did, and he had devoured his brother years before. His strength had multiplied, even without the purest blood coursing through his veins. He carried the blood of two Purebloods; Shizuka Hio, and Kaname Kuran.

Gods, how he hated that man.

Even if he'd kept Yuuki safe, he couldn't stand the thought of his competition.

_Former_ competition, that is to say.

Zero lathered his silvery hair with his shampoo, nothing too fancy or luxurious, and had busied himself with rubbing suds over his aching joints. He hadn't heard the bathroom door open, shut, and the sound of cloth hitting the floor.

What he did hear, however, was the sound of the shower curtain sliding back and forth, and he let a calmness fall between he and the red-handed. No amount of guilt was felt through the air; in fact, the red-handed was more concerned for him than guilty.

Two small arms wrapped around his taller frame, pressing a naked chest into his back. "Yuuki," he murmured. He wanted to embrace her, but the strength she offered disabled movement. Instead, he stared at his hands, baring his fangs down at them.

Not particularly content with being the one holding, Yuuki spun her boyfriend around and pressed him against the wall; while she wasn't stronger than him, she was fiercer, and he was tired. He merely looked down at her, and managed to remain nonchalant as she asked, "Why won't you touch me? Why don't you _ever_ touch me?"

It took a minute for Zero to word his answer. "…My hands. They're stained with the lives of… they're _tainted_, Yuuki." His voice was thick with pain, and a hint of hate in himself. The brunette, whose chin was perched on his chest, was even less content. Crimson eyes narrowed before she smacked him hard on the chest, to which he let out a groan. That certainly didn't make him feel better.

"You… you moron!" Tears welled up in her eyes before she grabbed his large hands, placing one around her and the other on her breast. Her forehead fell, defeated, onto his chest. "If that's how you… h-how you feel, then. Then taint me! Taint me, too! We'll be tainted together, Zero!"

Her words… went straight into his heart. His heartbeat was loud, and he knew she felt his heart racing. But, instead of telling her how absolutely stupid that sounded, he switched their positions, causing her to look up in surprise. Her hands were pinned up above her head. His lips met hers in a fiery kiss, to which she returned with fervor.

_Then, taint you I shall_.

~o~

**This one's been eating at me for a while. Thankfully I could get it up before it devoured my brain any further.  
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**Hope you enjoyed~ Please review if you liked it! Requests are on the way! (I'm also still taking them, so send a few in a review if you want me to write something.)  
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**~Cookie  
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	7. Lobsters and Aloe, Kplus

**Lobsters and Aloe**

~o~

Yuuki was absolutely miserable.

Given that Zero and her adopted father had attended a conference that afternoon – in the middle of their vacation, she noted, pouting – she decided it would have been the perfect time for some 'Yuuki' time. And, given the circumstances, she figured sun-bathing would be a brilliant idea, as they were on the coast of the Zushi beach. She'd taken up her father's routine of bringing a book and water, and had decided to wear her usual sun dress, the one that fluttered over her body like liquid silk.

But it hadn't been enough; as soon as she'd slipped it off and folded it under her light blue towel, she was doomed. She'd forgotten a very essential part to her sun-bathing escapades. The tube of SPF 65 sunblock – extra protection for her extra fair skin – sat on the kitchen table, taunting her. It had Zero's voice, and she fought every urge to stick her tongue out at it (and him) when she'd gotten back home to see the little blue bottle of evil.

She was alone for hours before Zero and her father had returned from their conference. Yuuki tried to act like her shoulders and torso weren't on fire and hugged them. It stung her, every move she made. But she didn't show it.

Nighttime found her laying in the bed she shared with Zero, trying not to move in fear that she'd cry out. It was a struggle getting into her loose shorts and T-shirt, but all she wanted to do was take away the cloth that was chaffing her already burning skin. It only took a short second later that her current position – her laying on her stomach, as her back was in the worst condition – got uncomfortable and, for a split second, she forgot about the sunburn and rolled over.

Right _off_ of the bed.

Zero was awake and raring to kick butt when he heard Yuuki cry out as she hit the floor, and he sprang to action as if he'd been awake for hours. When he tried to help her up, tugging gently at her arm and irritating the burnt skin of her shoulder, she let out a whimper, and it was as if he knew.

Her starlight-haired companion left briefly into the bathroom, thenreturned with the aloe cream, and she thanked the heavens above that her best friend knew exactly what to do. She just… worried, that it would sting, because it always did.

He used his chin to point her toward the bed in a silent order to 'sit down', and she complied a little too quickly, resulting in an unpleasant shiver running up her spine. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to breathe through the intense pain. She was uncomfortably cold.

The sound of the bed creaking and a body stopping behind her snapped her out of her shivering.

If it weren't for her burnt shoulders, Yuuki would have turned around, but she knew who it was. Zero had a very unique scent, warm and inviting which didn't quite match his cold and temperamental outer shell. Yuuki was instantly comforted, and she let her shoulders relax a little, blowing out the breath she'd been holding.

For someone who was so rough, the brunette guardian was surprised how naturally warm and soft her childhood friend's hands were. He'd squeezed about a dollop of the cream into his hand, rubbed it between two large palms, and instantly began to gently spread the cool substance onto her red, hot skin. His large, masculine fingers worked delicately over her shoulders, providing her a slight comfort, while he used his palms to lightly rub over her back. Her eyes fluttered closed as the scent of the cream lulled her into a state of contentedness.

"This'll teach you not to forget your sunscreen, wouldn't it, Miss Lobster," Zero's voice was smooth and sounded _very_ amused, and he helped her get back into her shirt once he was finished.

"Yeah," the brunette giggled as she nestled up to Zero's warm body, which lulled her to a place of peace. _Or, maybe it'll teach me to forget it more __often_, her mind mused before the two fell into a blissful state of sleep.

~o~

**...This was, obviously, inspired by summer. It's been written for a long while now, but I wanted to wait until now to post it. Well, technically tomorrow, but I'm headed to Vermont tomorrow afternoon. c:**

**AND THEN. I'M GOING. TO MAINE.  
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**(Whoa there, Cookie, you sound a little excited. "Not really, no."  
>Butsrsly. I'm totally excited.)<br>**

**Aaaaaaanyway. Requests are being processed and maybe 2 out of the... well, 2 or 3 that I got are nearing completion. I'm accepting and basically running on requests for this, so if you've gone some (I also accept A/U, and I want to keep this at a 'T' rating. As long as I can work with Romantic!Zeki, feel free to send in whatever plot-bunny you either want to see me write, or that you're too lazy to.)  
><strong>

**I appreciate, read, and try to reply to every review I've ever gotten. I love the continual support and love you guys give to me. More reviews will make me very happy.  
><strong>

**~Cookie  
><strong>


	8. A Dash of Nutmeg, Kplus

_Inspired by a scene in _"The Game Plan" _starring Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson and some little actress I don't remember the name of. _

**Disclaimer: **Do I look like Matsuri Hino? No way, dude.

~o~

Rain pitter-pattered on the large-paned window, sending the quiet room into a fit of discomforting silence.

Zero had been sitting in the chair beside Yuuki's bedside for what felt like an entire lifetime, though he'd only been allowed into the room almost an hour ago; the pair had been sitting in Yuuki's favorite little coffee shop, her happily stuffing her face with a fruit parfait as he sat across from her, drinking his coffee – just the way he liked it, black with only a little sugar (a habit he supposed he picked up from Yuuki after she 'accidentally' dropped a cube of sugar into his drink once a few years back).

Everything had been going completely fine… until Yuuki started to cough.

Like any person would do, Zero immediately asked "Are you alright?" but, she couldn't answer. Her small hand closed around her throat, almost clawed at it as if trying to claw a breathing hole, and his eyes instantly widened. He called a waitress to his table and asked what was in the parfait and, without hesitation, the waitress answered.

"Yogurt, strawberries and blueberries, granola, and whipped cream."

_None of those would have triggered this… _he thought. Yuuki was only allergic to a few things, one of which being nutmeg. He quickly went over to Yuuki, tears beginning to pool at the corners of her eyes. He hissed through his teeth and picked her up, cradling her. He hissed like an angry animal at the waitress, demanding to know more, and the young woman retreated back a bit before a shuddering whimper escaped her.

"The… the whipped cream has just a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg for a little extra ki-"

…but, Zero was already out the door, headed toward the nearest hospital which was, woefully, almost thirty minutes away by foot. In the midst of a rainstorm. He thanked his vampire abilities that he had a high stamina and a quickened pace as he sprinted in the direction of the hospital.

Nurses and doctors alike swarmed him, taking the gasping Yuuki from his arms. He tried to follow, but a nurse stopped him. "Sir, I'll escort you to the family waiting room. Everything will be alright; I need you to just follow me. Sir."

Zero couldn't stop watching Yuuki be laid down on a white cot, and he could've sworn she gasped his name. Instead of breaking free and running to her side – very Zero-like, especially in his panicked state – he nodded toward the nurse and sat down in that waiting room for almost half an hour before he was let into Yuuki's room.

Since he entered, Yuuki had been asleep, having been given a low dose of drugs to ease her into such a state as they opened her airwaves. They assured Zero that she was fine, just sleeping, and the silver-haired vampire could hear her pulse beating in her heart and throat and could silently confirm it. With a short "Thank you", he immediately placed himself in the wooden chair by the window – his current spot.

**This is all your fault. **It was a dark voice, almost animalistic, that spoke in his head. He buried his face in his hands, letting a shuddering breath escape him while no one was conscious or around to hear it. **If you hadn't left the school campus, she wouldn't have chased you. **…the voice. It scared him, and he grabbed at his hair; it was so familiar, and yet, so foreign. **And, you wouldn't have taken her to that Tea Room to calm her down from her hysterics. **

**It's your fault. Yours, and no one elses.**

_No…_

Yes, Zero had left campus; he and Yuuki were about to begin patrols when they ran into none other than Zero's eternal rival, Kaname mother-freakin' Kuran. After a very awkward exchange between his little friend and this giant ass-hole, Yuuki went on her way back to her father's office to report that no Day Class student – girl – was seen on the grounds after class. When she disappeared, Kaname merely murmured something as he spun on his heel and walked back to class.

And, it was enough to rock him to his core. And, instead of taking charge as a Hunter and breathing through the turmoil he had been feeling, he chose to run and save a casualty or a few.

_I regret it… I regret it so… so much. I'm…_

A low groan shook him from his stupor and, in less than a second, his head shot up and he was out of the chair, standing worriedly by Yuuki's feet. Her eyelashes fluttered and a louder groan escaped her, this time signifying she was in the process of escaping the last remnants of sleep. When her mahogany eyes finally slitted open, immediately locking gazes with her fair-haired partner, the tears she'd been fighting since she'd arrived spilled free. And, Zero ignored the stinging in his own eyes as he let his barrier come down, crossing what little feet was between them and sat beside her, rubbing along her cheek with his large hand.

"Zero…"

He bent down and buried his face in his best friend's hair, wrapping his large arms around her form as if she were a china doll, and tears of pure relief – and fear, and apology, and the sincerest promise to never do it again – ran down his cheeks and onto her gown-clad shoulder. The good part of it was, when he cried, his shoulders didn't shake and his breath didn't waver; it was as if they were exchanging a simple embrace.

But, the _best_ part of it was, Yuuki would never, _ever_ tell him or another breathing soul that she felt each tear permeate the thin fabric on her shoulder.

~o~

**Wrote this on yet another whim. Hope you like it!**

**And, I'll let readers decide what it was Kaname told to Zero that made him run. It could be a number of things, but I'll leave it to the imagination.**

**Reviews/subscriptions/favorites are love!**

-Cookie-


	9. Her Happy Ending, K

**Her Happy Ending**

~o~

A loud wail sounded through a small white farmhouse, the bedroom light across the hallway flicking on and the bed springs singing in protest to being moved upon. A small woman shuffled around for her slippers, clad in a pair of flannel pajama pants and a long-sleeve button-down shirt that undoubtedly belonged to her husband.

Once she had found her slippers, she scurried out of the room and into the room of her infant son, the source of the wailing. A soft 'Hush' escaped her tired lips as she stopped above his crib and wrapped her arms around his little body. The cries were muffled by the soft, off-tune humming of a lullaby she made up on the spot, and almost instantly the babe was staring at her with big, ruby-colored eyes.

"There, there," she said softly, tucking a soft tuft of the babe's silvery-white hair behind his ear, causing a little twitch of a smile to break onto his chubby face. It, even in her sleepy state, brought a smile to her own face. "There we are. You're such a handsome boy, with a pretty smile, just like your Dad."

At the mention of his father, the babe let out a soundless yawn, and the young mother took that as her cue to lay him back down in his blankets. She did so, placing a kiss on his forehead before spinning on her heel… only to look her loving husband and father to her child in the face- er, well, in the chest.

"Yuuki," her name was a prayer on his lips, and she tugged him out of the painted bedroom of the now sleeping babe. "I wish you'd let me check on him one of these times; I'm not that hopeless with him, you know."

Of course she remembered his nervousness when their son was first born, and his concern for her – even after all they'd gone through – shone brighter than any star in the night sky. A soft smile spread her lips in two in remembrance, even if he could hardly hold him back then. "I know, Zero. I just… I like to."

His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close for a short kiss. His fingers laced along the small of her back, exposing her skin to him briefly before he pulled back, placing short butterfly kisses along her soft lips. "Come on, we should get back to sleep." His wife gave him a pout and he couldn't help but chuckle at her; he would never admit it aloud but she was just so… cute when she pouted. When she stood almost rooted in front of the door across from her husband's destination, he gave a gentle tug to her fingers, her feet following even against her wishes.

She was _so_ tired, but she'd never give up her happy ending.

~o~

_Yet the third story that was merely written on a whim. I am REALLY enjoying writing shorter little drabbles instead of writing HUGE LONG HOLY CRAP one-shots. _

_Review/Favorite/Subscribe?_

-Cookie-

**PS -** All requests are still being processed so please do not think I have forgotten. If YOU have a request - or more! - please feel free to send it in a review OR Private Message. I accept from both places!


	10. From Light to Dark  K

**From Light to Dark**

_Requested by: _Shizza24

(I'm not quite sure if this is what you meant by "angst-filled oneshot after their departure", but this is what my fingers typed up. Thank you for the request!)

~o~

After the slaughter of his parents, Zero's world had plunged into darkness; he didn't speak, he didn't look at anyone… he never left the bedroom of the man who had taken him in. The eccentric Headmaster really couldn't have blamed him, for while he was a vampire hunter, he was only a child. Not to mention, his fate was decided for him and sealed, his inevitable descent into the darkness unavoidable.

He didn't know how he could be saved, or how quickly he would fall to the End, but there was one thing he _did_ know: he was going to have to do it alone.

Or well, that's what he thought.

He knew that the effeminate Headmaster had a daughter, and he knew that he was her elder by one year, but he didn't know that she'd have had such an effect on him. In four years, he allowed her to grow close to him, to hit him, to care for and about him… even after she found out about his accursed fate. Hell, she was quite literally the entire reason for his existence.

They were close, and often times, he wished they weren't when she would offer herself to him so casually, so selflessly… he both loved her, and hated her. But, most of all, he _hated_ himself for loving _her_.

Her… Yuuki Cross- no, Yuuki Kuran.

When he heard those words ("He's my… my older brother!") his entire world – the one where she saved him – came crashing down upon his head, and he felt himself being pulled away from the light she had put back into his life. Because that meant that she was like _him_; the very thing that he despised and wished to destroy with the help of his _Bloody Rose_.

Their goodbye was hardly what he'd wanted… he wished that she didn't leave, that she'd be able to stay with him. He was sure if she didn't leave with that _bastard_, that he'd be able to get over the fact that she was a Pureblood princess. Of course it wouldn't have happened right away, but with the mild-mannered former-human, not a lot of things did. He could have worked on it, and she could have helped him in the way that only Yuuki could.

But no; the light that had lit his world up in his darkest of times had left him behind, back in his own darkness.

And this time, he wasn't sure if he'd find the light again.

~o~

**As always, please send in requests you may have so that I may write them! I'm running out of ideas myself so, in order to keep this story going, people need to start sending in requests. (Via review or PM; it makes no difference, just send 'em in, guys!)**

**Here are requests people can look forward to:**

**-Zeki Post-Guilty reunion  
>-Zeki wedding<br>-Kaien giving Zero and Yuuki "The Talk"**

**That's all I've got for now; please feel free to send in any (yes, ANY) requests you might have! Though, I change my mind from a few chapters back; I'd prefer to get VK-universe stuff, so no a/u if you please.**

**-Cookie-  
><strong>


	11. Miracle, K

**Note: **This piece is a companion piece/prequel to 'Her Happy Ending'.

* * *

><p><strong>Miracle<strong>

~o~

A warm candlelight glowed in the small dining room as a young woman with shoulder-length chocolate-brown hair stared down at her lap; it had been well over two months since she'd seen her husband, as he had gone on a mission to extinguish a Level E vampire somewhere in the West that was fraternizing with young high school girls, being friendly and eventually drinking them dry. Her husband was reluctant to go, but she ushered him, knowing it was his birthright to rid the world of the monsters her husband had narrowly escaped becoming.

If she were ten years younger, Yuuki would have wanted him to discontinue his line of work because it was just _too_ damn dangerous, but also, she knew that hunting vampires was a trait that he was born with and trained to do. He was strong, brave, and never held back. At least, not anymore. And, besides; she wouldn't ask him to stop when he was finally at the top of the Hunter chain, as Association President! (She remembered the coronation ceremony; they had a lot of champagne that night.)

Yuuki and her husband, Zero Kiryuu – her childhood friend, her savior, her protector – had been married for nearly two years now, and every single time he left was every bit as hard as the last. However, this time was a little harder for her, because she'd been given some good news and bad news in his absence.

Over the course of his being gone, she'd been having odd, brief moments where she'd be dizzy and feel ill. Often, she had to call her father over to help her with the chores since they didn't live too far away from each other. But, it was one day nearly a week ago that she had begun to feel totally out of it, and had ended up vomiting her lunch that she was having with her adoptive father, Kaien Cross.

For thirty minutes she'd waited for the doctor to see her, and when the woman found out just what was wrong with her, tears streamed down her face; she was an understandable mix of apprehensive, afraid, and undeniably… relieved. At least she wasn't dying, she had thought.

Zero was scheduled to come home that night, and Yuuki had decided to surprise him with a candle-lit dinner of his favorite soup, fresh baked bread from the bakery down the road, and the news. Her palms were sweating and she wiped them on her thighs, clothed in a knee-length skirt. On her torso was a button-down shirt that was too big to be hers – obviously Zero's, which she'd been sleeping in for the final week he was gone – with a locket on her neck.

She absently clutched at it, shutting her eyes. Things would be okay.

Nearly ten minutes later, Zero walked through the door. Yuuki had made it from her spot at the table to his arms in a matter of seconds, having thrown her body into his and embracing him as tightly as she could. He spun her around, giving her a full kiss on the lips, before his stomach pulled him – with her in his arms – into the kitchen. One of his rare grins made its way onto his lips, and Yuuki served him his bowl of vegetable soup and watched him turn to sit at the table. When she served herself, she became enthralled in the swirling steam coming up from her bowl; it was getting closer to that time. And, she couldn't be more anxious in her life.

She sat down, took a few bites of soup, before she let the spoon fall to the table. Gods, she couldn't take it anymore!

"Yuuki, what is it?" her husband's sweet baritone voice made her heart pick up, and she glanced up at him with tears in her eyes. Suddenly, he looked ready to murder someone.

The young wife struggled to find the words before her hands wrapped around her body. "Zero, I… I went to the doctors a few weeks back. I wasn't feeling well, so…"

…he looked scared, now. It was as if every possibility going through his mind ended with her falling ill and dying. His heartbeat was loud in his ears. "What did he say?"

"She," his wife continued on the tail of his sentence, "told me two things; good news and bad news, if you will. Which… one do you want first?"

Zero's silver brows furrowed. "Bad news."

Yuuki swallowed, the tears that were in her eyes now slipping down her cheeks. It took all of the man not to leap up from his seat and pull her into his arms then and _there_. "Th-The bad news is, my u-uterus is too small to carry a child, so…" her voice died off for a moment, where she wiped her cheeks with her sleeve. "…even getting pregnant would be a miracle."

Zero's heart sank; he wanted to have at least _one_ child with her. "And… the good news?"

Suddenly, the petite brunette got up and walked to sit on his lap, which he happily obliged to by wrapping his arms around her back. "The… the good news is, we get to experience our first miracle as a married couple."

His eyes widened; she couldn't be serious, she _could not_ be serious! "Then, that means you're…"

"That's right!" Yuuki's voice was swallowed by a loud sob, a big smile on her face. "Zero, I'm going to have a baby!"

…And, that night, marked the second time in his entire life that Zero Kiryuu had ever cried. But, at least he was doing so with a smile on his face and the girl he loved.

~o~

_As most -if not all- of the other drabbles in this collection, this was written on a whim and as such wasn't quite looked over as much as my major fics. So, if there is anything off or wrong or whatever, please let me know and forgive me for the sloppy writing. (And, that ending? Blargh. I don't dislike it buuuut...)_

_I hope you enjoyed! I'm still taking requests so if you want to see your ideas published in my style and in this collection, please review with the idea or PM me. _

_(I'm more apt to check reviews first, just a heads up if you decide to PM me.)_

-Cookie-


	12. Fall for You, Kplus

**Fall for You**

_AnimeCookie93_

Vampire Knight

~o~

"_Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you_

_Over again_

_Don't let me change my mind_

_I won't live to see another day, I swear it's true_

_Because a girl like you is impossible to find_

_You're impossible to find."_

– Secondhand Serenade, "Fall for You"

**-x-**

The warm autumn breeze blew through the courtyard of Cross Academy, causing a shiver to course through the petite body of one Yuuki Cross. It was evening-time, and she was running a little late getting to her prefect duty today due to having to stay after class for supplementary classes; it wasn't her fault she fell asleep during today's algebra lecture!

…okay, maybe it was, but it was all in the past now.

When she got to the Moon dormitory gate, Zero was already there, regarding her with one of his signature scowls that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You're running late, aren't you, Yuuki?" his voice was smooth, and she could detect a little teasing in his tone, to which she stuck her tongue out at him- a genius response. "I was beginning to think you were going to ditch on me."

"Oho, you know all about that, don't you, Zero!"

The silver-haired prefect wrinkled his nose at her. "Do you have to bring that up every single-"

Their argument was cut short when the usual swarm of Day class girls – and the Class Rep. – started to bunch and shove at the younger prefect, knowing she wasn't as big a threat as the Kiryuu boy. Shouts of various Night class boys – 'Idol'/Aido and 'Takuma' were the favorites tonight – filled the evening air, and quite honestly, even Yuuki was beginning to tire of their antics tonight. "Get back, everyone! It's time to get back to your dorms!" she announced, but it only resulted in her getting trampled.

As always, Zero's side was behaving with the usual single girl thinking she could get past him if she moved quickly and stealthily enough. Alas, she was scared back when he turned to glare at her, but all in all he was having a much easier time than his partner; a part of him felt bad that she had to be walked all over, but it served her right for gawking as much as they did.

The gates opened at the same time as Yuuki pulling out her whistle and blowing it, and she almost felt excited that the girls were listening to her for once before she turned to see her one and only Kaname regarding her warmly as he started to walk toward her. A shiver shot up and down her spine, and not just from the chilly evening, either.

"Evening, Yuuki," said the Pureblood, who stopped to caress her cheek in a loving gesture. It caused a blush to form on her face before she choked out her greeting. Kaname, satisfied with her response – and with Zero's, as the boy was near the point of shaking with rage while looking to the side – smiled at her and looked to the girls behind her, who surely had hearts in their eyes. "You shouldn't give her so much trouble. The Disciplinary Committee works hard to keep things running smoothly; if you're to give her anything, it should be gratitude," and then, he looked back at her before walking away, pulling his hand away from her face slowly.

And as always, Yuuki was stuck watching him leave with girls screaming his name adoringly from behind her, her eyes a little sad as he walked away from her and toward the school building. After a moment, she turned back to the girls and yelled, "You should all return to your dorms!" and after their usual whines, they all scooted along to their dorms for the evening.

Zero hardly has to say a thing, for he angles his head toward the dorms and clicks his tongue, to which the girls respond by nearly screaming and dashing off to meet the other girls, grumbling at how 'Zero was so mean to them'. When it was just the two prefects, he walks over to her and puts his hand on her head, giving it a little ruffle.

Yuuki doesn't know why, but she smiles at him, though her heart aches. "Come on, let's get to patrols."

**-x-**

Later in the night, the silver-haired guardian finds his partner sitting on the edge of the fountain, droplets of water falling in her hair and on her shoulders; he knows she's been tired lately, and by the look on her face, she's had a lot to think about over the course of the last couple of hours. The best friend in him screams for him to go to her, but he's hesitant; if he goes, he's setting himself up to feel his heart break a little, because he knows exactly who's on her mind.

Nevertheless, he goes to her, unbuttoning his blazer. When he reaches her, he sets his jacket over her and sits beside her, looking to the ground. She makes no move to greet him or even look at him, and he has to lean a bit forward to even see the shadow of her eyes hidden under her bangs; upon further investigation, Zero notices she's been crying.

"Yuuki?" he calls for her, wishing her not to cry, a worried expression in his eyes. _I'm right here _he wishes to say, but it's harder to get the words out than it should be. Instead, he settles for "What's wrong?"

For a moment, it seems Yuuki's considering her words, trying to say what she wants to without twisting the dagger already in his heart. Cautiously, she answers, "He's… too far away, I can't… I can't reach him."

Confused, Zero reaches out to grab one of her hands, holding it in his larger one. It was a rare act of kindness, as he wasn't one for touching all too often, and he didn't want to make her cry harder if he were to hold her close. "…don't say that." He can't tell her that he isn't, that she can reach him, because while he cares for – _thrives _for – her happiness, he just couldn't bring himself to say it. His thumb rubs against her soft hands, now cold from the night air and a little wet from stray water dripping from her hair.

Her big eyes look up to meet his, and another tear falls down her cheek. "But it's true, Zero. He's so out of my league, and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to bring myself up to his standards, I…" Her fingers curl around his hand and she's shivering now, and this time, he knows it's because she's freezing. He scoots toward her and brings her head onto his shoulder, threading his fingers through her hair.

"I'm not good enough for him," she chokes out, bringing their interlocked hands up to her face. "I'll never been good enough."

It takes a moment for the words to sink in, and suddenly, Zero moves from his place beside her to kneel in front of her. Yuuki looks up, confused, her cheeks shining in the moonlight. With a sudden movement, Yuuki's hand is now pressed to his chest, and she can feel his heartbeat. Her eyes widen a little, but mostly because she is unsure what it is her partner is trying to convey by doing this.

After a few moments of just looking at each other, the silver-haired boy finally speaks. "When will you learn that you don't have to change yourself? Stupid girl," his voice is teasing, and there's a hint of a smile to his words and in his violet eyes. "You are perfect, there's nothing about you that needs to change. Do you feel that?" she regards him before focusing on her hand on his chest, finally realizing that his heart is racing. With a nod, she looks back at him, sniffling. "Just by being yourself, you have saved me, protected me, and brought me back to life. You have had the power to make all of that happen. You don't need to make any changes to yourself, because the you that I know is already one of the best people I've ever known."

His words sink in, and in a matter of seconds, fresh tears spill from her face. A smile morphs her lips and she jumps at him, wrapping her arms around his waist, pressing her face into his chest. It seemed that those were just the words she needed to hear. After a moment to process what was now happening, Zero wrapped his arms around her, holding her flush against him as she got the rest of her cries out into his shirt. His blazer lies on her shoulders, protecting her back from the cold as his body protects her front.

Through her sniffles, Yuuki whispers, "Thank you, Zero… you'll always be my number one."

He lays his cheek against her hair, placing a gentle kiss on her head as one of his rare smiles appears on his pale features. After a moment, he feels her body get heavy against him and, by the sound of her finally even breathing, he realizes that she's asleep. Pulling her arms into the sleeves of his blazer, he pulls her up into his arms and carries her back in the direction of the dorms, knowing that after tonight, she could probably use a bit of sleep.

And he relishes in the way she has her arms around his neck, holding onto him as if her life depended on it, because he knows that in these short few hours, she has made him fall for her all over again.

~o~

_I haven't worked on this in a while.. sorry?_

_I've always thought about a scenario like this happening between them- though I can't decide if it should be in the _**Eternal Bond **_universe or not. It could be, or we can stick it in any universe. I like my head-canon a little more, to be honest; way less angst. _xD;

_Review, review, review! _

-Cookie-

~~I would also like to thank a reviewer who basically made me cry out of sheer joy. I felt like they should have some sort of recognition for that (so uh, I guess the moral of the story is if you can make the writer cry, you get a mention? xD; ) So, a huuuuuge thanks to **FilleDigitale**. I'm glad you like the way I write our two knuckleheads (Zero and Yuuki -I use that spelling; doesn't the other mean 'snow'?- namely) and I shall continue to write them that way because I refuse to make Zero be gobbled up by the ice around his heart, nor will I allow Yuuki to be a dunderhead. Hm-hm!~~


	13. Ruby Red, T

**Timeline: **_Perhaps just after _Eternal Bond_, in other words, in the very beginning of my Zeki head-canon. _

_Enjoy!_

* * *

><p><strong>Ruby Red<strong>

~o~

Sometimes, the things Yuuki did to Zero made him want to tear his hair out, even if almost every single time he complied with her wishes.

It had been a normal Saturday morning; Zero was in the process of finishing his cup of coffee, dark and bitter, with an open newspaper open on his lap. Beside him, Yuuki was finishing painting her fingernails a fresh coat of red, the smell having absolutely no effect on her, though it definitely affected the sensitive-nosed vampire beside her. The silver-haired youth scowled at her over the Current Event's page. "Yuuki, do you mind?"

Without missing a beat, Yuuki looked up to grin at him, "Not at all!" before going back to the mission at hand.

Silver brows angled agitatedly at her less-than-innocent answer before he closed the paper, folded it up, and tossed it haphazardly onto the coffee table. Turning his body to face her, he looked at the offending bottle of 'Ruby Red' and plucked it and the brush out of her hands and capped it. "Well _I _do."

Her distressed cry followed that and she turned to glare at him, reaching for the bottle once more as he put it just out of her reach. "Zero, come _on_, give it back!" This exchange happened for minutes before the brunette gave up, grumping and huffing to herself as she sat cross-legged, arm-folded-over-chest pouting at the wall.

Satisfied, Zero closed his eyes, relishing in the quiet; Headmaster Cross was to come back from a meeting that day, which had left him with Yuuki and her antics and almost no peace and quiet. Finally, he was glad to have just a few moments to collect his sanity which had been retreating south since this morning, when his partner had decided that singing at the top of her lungs was the perfect way to wake up a cranky vampire, and of course she was wrong.

He'd ended up pinning her against the wall with his body as one of his hands tickled her relentlessly – needless to say her howling laughter quickly replaced her singing and was _much_ easier to tolerate than the sound of a cat screeching in pain… that was, her singing.

In his moment of silence, he noticed that Yuuki had also grown quiet, and he was about to crack one eye open before he felt her tiny hands close around his hand. One violet eye opened to look at her curiously, eyebrow raised and curiosity piqued. "Yuuki?"

She didn't say anything at first, before she started to rub her thumb across his knuckles, knowing it relaxed him. He let his eye drift closed and a content noise bubbled from his throat. Her fingers tangled with his, squeezing lightly, before he followed suit; finally, he could relax and enjoy the silence.

_Finally. _Yuuki smiled at him before adopting a sneaky expression; oho, he'd learn his lesson for leaving her half-manicured.

**-x-**

It was well after lunchtime when Kaien Cross stepped into his private quarters, ponytail dripping from the rain that had started to fall. The conference – of course, his annual check-in with Headquarters to report that things were running smoothly as always and that there was no need for anyone to come scout it out for themselves – had kicked his butt as always, having to argue for the umpteenth time that the Academy was safe and that everyone was enjoying themselves.

He was lucky that Yagari had helped assure the higher-ups when he did, because while Kaien could be plenty convincing, Yagari was much more adamant.

It wasn't until he'd hung up his coat on the coat hanger that he realized it was entirely too quiet. Bespectacled light-brown eyes scanned the surroundings of his home, scoping out his children the best he could; the kitchen was empty, the dining room too. He couldn't imagine they'd be out in the rain, and they tended to stay in his quarters a lot more lately so he doubted they had gone to their dorms. Sighing mightily – Yuuki would scold him for worrying over her so much – he made himself a fresh pot of coffee and dug out the bread from the refrigerator.

With his steaming cup of coffee – cream only – and a piece of buttered bread in his hand, he ventured into the hallway only to hear an "Eep!" coming from the living room. Alarmed, he nearly dropped his steaming cup before seeing Yuuki being chased by Zero. A delighted expression was on her face as she ran past, shouting a quick "Welcome back!" before darting into her bedroom, holding her door closed with all of her strength. Zero was fast on her heels, pounding on her door but not actually going inside. _I wonder what's gotten into __them__._

"Yuuki, open this damned door this _instant_!" Zero bellowed, but not before letting a light chuckle escape his lips. Kaien stood, dumbstruck at the exchange; it had been a long while since he'd seen his beloved children playing like this… though he wondered just why it was Zero had chased her. When Zero paused in his pounding and yelling, Kaien scurried over in his socks across the wooden floor.

"My word! Zero, what did my Yuuki do this ti-…"

-But Zero didn't give the man a minute more to finish asking his question, because he shoved his hand in front of his caregivers face, fingers clenched in a claw-like position, and ground something through clenched teeth before poor Headmaster Cross started to laugh.

Deciding he'd punch the Headmaster later, Zero went back to pounding onto Yuuki's door, the sound of her laughter ringing in the air and tugging at his heartstrings before he pushed the door open, scooped her up, and closed the door. When he no longer heard the sound of laughter, Kaien left the two to their own devices, his laughter starting to die down as he entered the living room and relaxed on the couch.

Taking a sip of his coffee, he continued to stay blissfully unaware – or, perhaps, just the opposite – of the silence that filled the house until well into the early afternoon.

* * *

><p><em>Written in necessity for some funny Zeki sweetness after the events of Chapter 89. (Seriously, it. Was. BULL-CRAP. -and not just from a Zeki-fangirl standpoint, either; from an overall lover of the fandom. The hell, Hino!)<em>

_I'm putting this at a solid T instead of a K-plus because... well, of the ending part. My fangirl-heart imagined dirty things and thus, while it's left to the imagination just what was happening in Yuuki's room, I'd like to assume that he's finding effective ways to make her behave. _;D

_...ahem. Let me know if you like it?_

-Cookie-


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